Heat Dissipating Device

ABSTRACT

A heat dissipating device includes a heat conducting member and a coolant storing unit. The heat conducting member includes a surrounding wall that defines an internal space and that is adapted to be placed in contact with a heat source, and a plurality of heat conducting plates that are spacedly disposed in the internal space, that are connected to the surrounding wall, and that cooperate with the surrounding wall to define a plurality of flow channels. The coolant storing unit stores a coolant and is in fluid connection with the heat conducting member. The flow channels extend upwardly, and the coolant flows along the flow channels when the heat of the heat source is transmitted to the coolant.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese application no. 101115573, filed on May 2, 2012.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a heat dissipating device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIG. 1, a heat dissipating device 1 according to R.O.C. patent no. M261972 is shown to include a base 10 and a heat dissipating unit 11 disposed on the base 10. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the base 10 has a plurality of channels 101 intersecting each other for coolant 100 to flow horizontally therewithin. When in use, a heat source (not shown) is placed in contact with the base 10. The coolant 100 absorbs the heat produced by the heat source, and the heat is dissipated by the heat dissipating unit 11. Normally, the coolant 100 is converted between gaseous and liquid states for heat dissipation and coolant circulation of itself. However, since the above-mentioned heat dissipating device 1 can only enable the coolant 100 to flow horizontally due to the lack of space for the conversion between gaseous and liquid states of the coolant 100 is limited, such that the efficiency of heat dissipation is relatively poor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a heat dissipating device for dissipating heat from a heat source with greater efficiency.

According to the present invention, there is provided a heat dissipating device. The heat dissipating device includes a heat conducting unit, which includes a heat conducting member made from a heat conducting material. The heat conducting member includes a surrounding wall that defines an internal space and that is adapted to be placed in contact with the heat source, and a plurality of heat conducting plates that are spacedly disposed in the internal space, that are connected to the surrounding wall, and that cooperate with the surrounding wall to define a plurality of flow 313.

The heat dissipating device further includes a coolant storing unit for storing a coolant and in fluid connection with the heat conducting member.

The heat conducting unit is disposed to extend upwardly such that the flow channels extend upwardly, and the coolant flows along the flow channels of the heat conducting unit when the heat of the heat source is transmitted to the coolant through the heat conducting unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is elevation perspective view of a conventional heat dissipating device;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the conventional heat dissipating device;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a heat dissipating device according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a heat conducting unit in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the heat dissipating device in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a heat dissipating device according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of the heat dissipating device in the second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of a heat dissipating device according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 3, a heat dissipating device 2 according to the first preferred embodiment of this invention includes a heat conducting unit 3 and a coolant storing unit 4 for storing a coolant and in fluid connection with the heat conducting unit 3. The coolant storing unit 4 includes two modules 41 in fluid connection with each other. Each module 41 includes a first coolant storage member 411, a second coolant storage member 412, a plurality of conduit members 413 fluidly connecting the first coolant storage member 411 and the second coolant storage member 412, and a plurality of heat dissipating fins 414 connected between adjacent pairs of the conduit members 413. The first coolant storage members 411 of the two modules 41 are disposed side by side with each other. A distance between the second coolant storage members 412 of the two modules 41 is greater than a distance between the first coolant storage members 411 of the two modules 41. In this preferred embodiment, the first coolant storage members 411 of the two modules 41 are interconnected fluidly at both ends using a pair of tubes 415. However, interconnection at only one end of the first coolant storage members 411 of the two modules 41 using only one tube 415 may be employed in other embodiments of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the heat conducting unit 3 includes a heat conducting member 31 made from a heat conducting material. The heat conducting member 31 includes a surrounding wall 311 that defines an internal space and that is adapted to be placed in contact with a heat source 9, a plurality of heat conducting plates 312 that are spacedly disposed in the internal space and that are connected to the surrounding wall 311, and a plurality of flow channels 313 cooperately defined by the surrounding wall 311 and the heat conducting plates 312.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, by virtue of the distance between the second coolant storage members 412 of the two modules 41 being greater than the distance between the first coolant storage members 411 of the two modules 41, the heat conducting unit 3 and the flow channels 313 are able to be disposed so as to extend upwardly. Each of the flow channels 313 of the heat conducting member 31 has a lower end in fluid connection with the second coolant storage member 412 of one of the two modules 41, and an upper end in fluid connection with the second coolant storage member 412 of the other one of the two modules 41. The heat conducting member 31 extends between the second coolant storage members 412 of the two modules 41 and cooperates with the coolant storing unit 4 to configure the heat dissipating device 2 to have a substantially triangular shape in this embodiment.

When in use, the heat source 9 is placed in contact with the surrounding wall 311 of the heat conducting member 31. The coolant is in the form of a liquid when in a cooled state and is received in the module 41 that is placed horizontally. When the heat of the heat source 9 is transferred via the heat conducting member 31 to the module 41 that is placed horizontally by conduction, the coolant will absorb the heat and transform from being in a liquid form to a gaseous form. The coolant in the gaseous form then moves up along the flow channels 313 of the heat conducting member 31 from the second coolant storage member 412 b of the module 41 that is placed horizontally into the first coolant storage member 412 a of the other module 41, and then enters the first coolant storage member 411 a of the other module 41 through the plurality of conduit members 413. As the coolant is passing through the conduit members 413, the heat will be dissipated by the heat dissipating fins 414 and the gaseous coolant will transform from the gaseous form back into the liquid form and then enters the first coolant storage member 411 a. The liquid coolant then enters the first coolant storage member 411 b of the module 41 that is placed horizontally through the tubes 415, enabling the coolant to flow between the heat conducting member 31 and the two modules 41. To sum up, the coolant circulates in the direction of the second coolant storage member 412 b, the flow channels 313 (see FIG. 4), the second coolant storage member 412 a, the first coolant storage member 411 am the first coolant storage member 411 b and back to the second coolant storage member 412 b, as illustrated by the arrows in FIG. 5.

By virtue of the design mentioned above, the heat dissipating device 2 provides enough space for the coolant to transform between gaseous and liquid forms, and enables the coolant to circulate between the heat conducting member 31 and the modules 41, thereby increasing the efficiency of transformation of the coolant between gaseous and liquid forms and increasing the efficiency of heat dissipation.

The second preferred embodiment of the heat dissipating device 2 according to this invention is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. In this embodiment, the first coolant storage members 411 of the two modules 41 are both located above the second coolant storage members 412, and a distance between the second coolant storage members 412 of the two modules 41 is greater than a distance between the first coolant storage members 411 of the two modules 41. Each of the flow channels 313 of the heat conducting member 31 has a lower end in fluid connection with the first coolant storage member 411 of one of the two modules 41, and the heat conducting unit 3 is disposed to extend upwardly from the first coolant storage member 411 of the one of the two modules 41, and cooperates with the coolant storing unit 4 to configure the heat dissipating device 2 to have a substantially inverted Y shape. The heat conducting member 31 further includes a cover body 314 disposed to seal upper ends of the flow channels 313 of the heat conducting member 31, and a plurality of heat dissipating plates 315 extending outwardly from the surrounding wall 311. The cover body 314 has a groove 316 in fluid connection with the flow channels 313.

When the heat of the heat source 9 is conducted from the heat conducting member 31 to the modules 41, the liquid coolant will absorb the heat and become gaseous coolant. The gaseous coolant will move upwards from the second coolant storage members 412, enters the flow channels 313 of the heat conducting member 31 via the first coolant storage members 411, and circulates in the flow channels 313 by passing through the groove 316 of the cover body 314. When the gaseous coolant is flowing in the flow channels 313, the heat of the gaseous coolant is dissipated by the heat dissipating plates 315, the gaseous coolant becomes a liquid coolant and flows downwards towards the first coolant storage members 411. The liquid coolant then flows back into the second coolant storage members 412 through the plurality of conduit members 413, whereby the remaining heat in the liquid coolant is further dissipated by the plurality of heat dissipating fins 414 connected between adjacent pairs of the conduit members 413. By virtue of such design, the coolant can be circulated within the heat dissipating device 2, and the efficiency of heat dissipation can be improved.

The third preferred embodiment of the heat dissipating device 2 according to this invention is illustrated in FIG. 8, wherein only one module 41 is connected to the heat conducting member 31. The heat conducting unit 3 can further include a fan 317 disposed on the heat dissipating plates 315. With such an arrangement, the coolant can still be circulated, and the fan 317 can further promote the efficiency of heat dissipation.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A heat dissipating device for dissipating heat from a heat source, said heat dissipating device comprising: a heat conducting unit including a heat conducting member made from a heat conducting material, said heat conducting member including a surrounding wall that defines an internal space and that is adapted to be placed in contact with the heat source, and a plurality of heat conducting plates that are spacedly disposed in said internal space, that are connected to said surrounding wall, and that cooperate with said surrounding wall to define a plurality of flow channels; and a coolant storing unit for storing a coolant and in fluid connection with said heat conducting member; wherein said heat conducting unit is disposed to extend upwardly such that said flow channels extend upwardly, and said coolant flows along said flow channels of said heat conducting unit when the heat of the heat source is transmitted to said coolant through said heat conducting unit.
 2. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coolant storing unit includes two modules in fluid connection with each other, each of said modules including a first coolant storage member, a second coolant storage member, a plurality of conduit members fluidly connecting said first coolant storage member and said second coolant storage member, and a plurality of heat dissipating fins connected between adjacent pairs of said conduit members; wherein said first coolant storage members of said two modules are in fluid connection with each other.
 3. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first coolant storage members of said two modules are disposed side by side with each other, and a distance between said second coolant storage members of said two modules is greater than a distance between said first coolant storage members of said two modules; wherein each of said flow channels of said heat conducting member has a lower end in fluid connection with said second coolant storage member of one of said two modules, and an upper end in fluid connection with said second coolant storage member of the other one of said two modules; and wherein said heat conducting member extends between said second coolant storage members of said two modules and cooperates with said coolant storing unit to configure said heat dissipating device to have a substantially triangular shape.
 4. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first coolant storage members of said two modules are disposed side by side with each other, and a distance between said second coolant storage members of said two modules is greater than a distance between said first coolant storage members of said two modules; wherein each of said flow channels of said heat conducting member has a lower end in fluid connection with said first coolant storage member of one of said two modules, and said heat conducting unit is disposed to extend upwardly from said first coolant storage member of said one of said two modules and cooperates with said coolant storing unit to configure said heat dissipating device to have a substantially inverted Y shape; and wherein each of said flow channels of said heat conducting member further has an upper end, and said heat conducting member further includes a cover body disposed to seal said upper ends of said flow channels of said heat conducting member, said cover body having a groove in fluid connection with said flow channels.
 5. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said heat conducting member further includes a plurality of heat dissipating plates extending outwardly from said surrounding wall.
 6. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said heat conducting unit further includes a fan disposed on said heat dissipating plates.
 7. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coolant storing unit includes a module, said module including a first coolant storage member, a second coolant storage member, and a plurality of conduit members fluidly connecting said first coolant storage member and said second coolant storage member; wherein said first coolant storage member is disposed above said second coolant storage member; wherein each of said flow channels of said heat conducting member has a lower end in fluid connection with said first coolant storage member, and said heat conducting unit is disposed to extend upwardly from said first coolant storage member; and wherein each of said flow channels of said heat conducting member further has an upper end, and said heat conducting member further includes a cover body disposed to seal said upper ends of said flow channels of said heat conducting member, said cover body having a groove in fluid connection with said flow channels.
 8. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said heat conducting member further includes a plurality of heat dissipating plates extending outwardly from said surrounding wall.
 9. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said heat conducting unit further includes a fan disposed on said heat dissipating plates. 